Salaries
for IT professionals in the financial services sector have risen by as much as
15 per cent in the past six months, according to the latest quarterly IT skills
survey from research firm SSL.
The
survey, carried out for Computer Weekly magazine, shows that the number of jobs
advertised for IT professionals in the finance sector have jumped by 32 per
cent in the past two quarters, from 3,167 to 4,172.
Industry
watchers said the dramatic rise has been caused by several investment banks
recruiting heavily in London, and paying more than the market rate for people
with strong business and IT skills.
"Over
the past six months, permanent recruitment has gone up tidily and contract more
so,” said Anne Swain, chief executive of the Association of Technology Staffing
Companies. “Finance has always been the highest-paid sector, but pay is going
up. Some of the financial institutions are paying above the market rate because
they are desperate."
Sean
Zimdahl, managing director of Aston Carter, which specialises in supplying IT
staff to investment banks, said: "We have seen a dramatic ramp up over the
past two quarters. The headcount has been released. Counter-offers from firms
that want to keep their staff are increasing. Firms are looking very bullish
about the next eight to 12 months."
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